Adhesives are substances capable of holding materials together by surface attachment and is a general term and includes among others cement, glue, mucilage and paste. Sealants are, according to ASTM, in building construction, materials that have the adhesive and cohesive properties to form a seal.

Aerospace coatings are among the most technically advanced of all coatings as they operate in a very dynamic and hostile environment. They must be able to resist to the rapid changes of temperatures, air pressure, and also to the different air turbulence. Whatever the flight conditions, aerospace coatings need to provide excellent protection against temperature fluctuations, intense UV exposure changing altitudes, humid conditions, chemical attacks and corrosion. They also need to be light-weight he help reduce energy expenditure of the aircraft.

Representing the largest end-use segment of the coatings industry, architectural coatings are used for the decoration and general maintenance of residential, commercial, institutional and industrial buildings. Architectural coatings include both interior and exterior paints while professional paint contractors and do-it-yourself (DIY) consumers make up the predominant end-user base of architectural paints.

Automotive OEM (original equipment manufacture) coatings include coatings used for cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles and other automobiles. Automotive coating typically consists of a electrocoat (basecoat), a primer and a topcoat (clearcoat).

Automotive refinish paints are used for repairing and refurbishing automobiles and other types of transportation. Automotive refinish paints differ from automotive OEM (original equipment manufacturer) coatings in that they are ambient or very low-temperature bake systems that are applied in non-production environments such as body shops and similar repair facilities.

Color plays a key role in the consumer purchasing process. As such paint formulators and marketers, and color design studios go to great length to tap into their color conscience. Herein we explore the latest architectural and automotive color styling trends.

Chemicals used in the construction industry add strength and durability to buildings. Construction chemicals are available in different types such as adhesives, sealants, waterproofing agents, cement additives, concrete admixtures, grouts and anti-corrosive chemicals. Construction chemicals can be used for various purposes such as protecting slabs and basements from water and humidity, providing protection against corrosion, preventing fungi, molds and mildew, preserving concrete by neutralizing lime, eliminating or reducing cracking, hardening the concrete surfaces and reducing abrasion and dusting.

An industrial coating is a paint or coating defined by its protective, rather than its aesthetic properties, although it can provide both. The most common use of industrial coatings is for corrosion control of steel or concrete. Other functions include intumescent coatings for fire resistance.

Marine coatings are used in the protection of vessels and structures in harsh and diverse environmental conditions such as saltwater immersion, salt fog, extremes of temperature, ultraviolet radiation exposure, humidity, physical impact from wave action, biological fouling (barnacles), etc. The most significant development to emerge in marine coatings over the last several years was the ban on organo tin tributyltin (TBT) compounds.

Powder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. The main difference between a conventional liquid paint and a powder coating is that the powder coating does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler parts in a liquid suspension form. The coating is typically applied electrostatically and is then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a "skin." There are several advantages to the powder coating process, the main one being that it does not require solvents, and only minor amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released during the cure.

Radiation curable coatings are “cured,” or dried, using energy from ultraviolet (UV) or electron beam (EB) sources instead of conventional heat and do so more quickly, using less energy and thereby at lower cost than by other methods.

Wood coatings are applied to domestic and office furniture, exterior and interior wood, parquet/flooring, decks, wood stains, etc. Coatings used on wooden surfaces provide both aesthetic aspects and surface protection designed to provide the maximum durability of the natural product.